I want to write a movie! Now what do I do?

Well first of all before you stock up on red bull and Red vines the most important thing I can behoove anyone interested in writing a movie is this..... Think about it. No, I mean really, really think about it.

Because at some point every fledgling writer and their neighbor in small town America thinks to themselves, wouldn't it be a great movie if this man comes from outer space and he has special powers, like x-ray vision and lasers that shoot out his eyes. OH, and then he also can disappear and then reappear in other dimensions and then maybe HE can have babies too! Animal babies!!!

Well this story might not sound familiar yet, but I'm sure the Hollywood wind will blow this story to a theatre near you, lets just hope it's not soon.

On a more literal note, when I suggest thinking about it, what I suggest is letting this seed have time to germinate inside your head. Rome wasn't built in a day. Nor a week. Nor a-- You get the point.

And when you DO come up with this great idea for the next Godfather, take the time to flesh out some of the most important details. Such as character, giving them names is a good first step, really take the time to get to know your protagonist. What's a protagonist?

A protagonist is the equivalent of the main character, hero, this is who this movie is about. He/She is what audience members are going to pay $50 to go see. (Popcorn, Parking, Soda, Candy, Hot dog, 3D, etc.) They want to see this person put through the ringer! No one wants to pay their hard earn $$$ to watch someone get whatever they want easily. BORING!!!!

Up and down they go, over and over, to the point of no return! Well almost no return, right when things look the bleakest this person is going to surpass all odds and hopefully, Hollywood standards, complete their objective, goal, whatever you call it. Then people will leave buzzing about what a wonderful journey this character just went on and how they can relate to it or not relate to it.

What's another good step you ask? How bout an equally impressive villain. Someone who is going to do EVERYTHING and more in their power to stop your Protagonist from reaching their goal. Now doesn't that sound easy? Let's put this really fantastic Hero in a movie, wait, what if I were to put his equal in the same movie to oppose his every desire. Good, now we're greasin' the minds of the $$$.

So now you have two great characters who are diametrically opposed in the most important part of the story. That being? The hero's goal! Yepureno. This oscar worthy script is only going to fetch you that gold IF you create something that this hero MUST have/do. Save the world? That's a good one. Why not aim big? How bout a hero who needs to solve a string of murders before the killer strikes again? Okay, not bad. But what if the killer is the hero himself? Whoa, now how do you stop that? OR how bout a starving young romantic who dreams of finding her beau? What if she does but this man is three steps from the alter? Does she let him go even if the man is marrying her best friend?

What I'm trying to get at is give your Protagonist a goal, something that he has to HAVE/DO and make it be RIGHT NOW. Why does he/she have to do this right now? Well, that's not my job to to tell you, that comes in during the germination station. You need to decide what, why, how and when? Once you can answer those four simple questions, you're almost on your way...

Now, I'm not the type to deliver edicts but if you trust me on this I guarantee your story will be better
So I've got a great character, an even greater Villain and a really great goal? Now what do I do???

.

Welcome!

"Everything you need to know from someone who knows nothing!"

That's my first promise.

Thanks for visiting! Here at Adventures in Reel Writing I believe in Free Speech, Free Music, Free Parking and most importantly Free Knowledge (of the screen kind) because no one should be forced to pay $$$$$ (five figures) for an education when everything you need is already in your head and at your fingertips.

My other promises to you are--
1) To be opinionated and passionate.
2) Thorough yet forgetful.
3) Open minded and fair

And no this is not Politics. About me--

I don't have a single spec sale under my belt, I've never been commisioned beyond a childhood allowance, never won a prize nor do I have a Masters from any one of those expensive film schools to boot.

However I do have the ability to form an educated critique, possibly even the same insight as those readers from Warner's/Universal, the so-called gate keepers to that elusive pot at the end of the rainbow. I drive the same streets as the Spielbergs and the Cruises, maybe in an older model but we share the road. I rub shoulders(not literally, well sometime yes) with the young and ambitious and I hold firmly the belief everyone is given the same chance it's just the effort you are willing to give.   

What I hope to achieve in this blog is to provide any/all information that I can/have from my experiences. Sure I've read all the books, taken courses, worked some of those Hollywood gates, I've even written a few (18) scripts myself. This number will change as time changes. But what do I REALLY know? I'm just as blind as the others hoping something will be mint after it's all said and done.

Because you have to have a ton of courage, you can't be shy on confidence and a little bit of crazy doesn't hurt to willingly invest your time and self in the craft of screen writing. You might as well consider yourself a fool among fools to even try your hand at this.

Because if you want the important people to invest millions upon millions of dollars into a stack of ink and paper then you better be first, ready to hear the word No! Pass! Not for us! Doesn't work! No way! Never! Are you crazy? It's terrible. Awful! This sucks. Give up! Do you understand this is the ride you're about to take?

Still Interested?

Good! We can be crazy together.    

I assure you if you're willing to read and continue to believe in the dreams of your youth, you might be surprised with what you can accomplish.

Thanks again for visiting and Pleaseeeeee...... Take what you like and forget the rest 8 )